HOLIDAY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VETS: “President Donald Trump met the moment, perfectly, with words that summoned poetry from their simplicity. Turning from a crowd gathered among graves of Americans cut down in Normandy, he gazed into aged faces of their peers who lived and who never forgot the horror of the beaches below. He led a standing ovation to men, many of whom can no longer stand themselves, who had again crossed the ocean — as they did three-quarters of a century ago on a mission to save liberty…A group of now hollow-cheeked veterans, wearing medals proudly on their chests, and baseball caps bearing their battle honors, absorbed the applause. Three comrades directly behind Trump’s podium huddled under one blanket — as if in a long-ago fox hole. Any visit to the killing grounds of Normandy is humbling and inspiring. When world leaders gather to mark historic anniversaries emotions become even more intense. The names, ages and home states of the fallen etched on their graves nearby encapsulates the random horror of a world war.”
–Stephen Collinson, “Trump bids farewell and thank you to the greatest generation,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, June 6, 2019 5:59 pm